Archive for » March 27th, 2012«

27 Mar 2012

Autism bills discriminate against other mental health patients, parity …

michigan_capitol_building_2.jpgCourtesy Michigan Legislative Black CaucusMental health advocates were critical of autism coverage mandates.

LANSING, MI – Mental health advocates said Tuesday that
bills mandating insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis
and treatment should not have moved forward because they didn’t include a
provision extending the mandate to all mental health disorders.

Michigan Partners for Parity, a statewide coalition with
more than 60 members, issued a press release soon after the three-bill package
passed a state House of Representatives committee.

The group advocates for comprehensive mental health
coverage, including autism.

“We don’t
understand why lawmakers won’t consider all the facts on this issue,” said Mark
Reinstein, spokesperson for Michigan Partners for Parity and executive director
of the Mental Health Association in Michigan.

“They say they want to help the families of those
struggling with autism-related medical costs; but even though it won’t cost the
state one dime more to offer this same coverage to all neurological disorders,
lawmakers have no interest in expanding the legislation. It doesn’t make any sense. Quite frankly, Michigan residents deserve an
explanation,” he said.

Partners for Parity said in the release that covering
only autism is discriminatory.

Instead, they want steps taken to broaden the package of
bills so insurers would be required to cover diagnosis and treatment for all
brain disorders.

According to the group, Michigan is one of only seven
states that lack such a mandate.

Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, an outspoken proponent of the
autism package, said Tuesday that parity advocates should get involved in the
process by getting comprehensive legislation introduced.

But, he noted, adding parity to the existing
autism package would likely cause the bills to fail.

Committee members Reps. Maureen Stapleton (D-Detroit) and Dian Slavens (D-Canton) offered amendments that would have expanded the scope of the mandates, but both were voted down.


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27 Mar 2012

Family seeks donations for Bales’ defense fund

Kari Bales was asked in her first interview broadcast Monday whether it would be difficult to raise money given the horrific nature of the charges leveled against him.

“I think that all soldiers, all people, deserve the best defense that they can get, and I believe he deserves the best defense,” she told the “Today” show.

In the wide-ranging interview, she also said her husband didn’t exhibit obvious signs of post-traumatic stress disorder and that she was confident he was fit for a fourth combat tour, but that he did not want to go.

Bales joins other soldiers accused of crimes in combat zones whose families and supporters have sought public help to defray substantial legal fees. At least three families of Lewis-McChord soldiers put on trial for murdering Afghan civilians for sport in 2010 accepted donations or assistance.

Former Muslim Army chaplain James Yee received tens of thousands dollars in donations to his legal defense fund starting in 2003 following his arrest on allegations that he was a spy. Yee had worked at Fort Lewis but was transferred to the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba to counsel detainees there. The military later dropped all charges against Yee.

Heather Ellis, executive director of United American Patriots, a group that raises money for soldiers accused of crimes in combat zones, said legal bills of between $200,000 and $250,000 are not out of the ordinary.

Legal fees for Staff Sgt. Frank Wuterich, accused of leading a group of Marines that killed 24 unarmed civilians in Haditha, Iraq in 2005, would approach $1 million at normal rates, not including related expenses and family travel, she said. In January, Wuterich pleaded guilty to negligent dereliction of duty under a plea agreement and received no jail time.

“It can be astronomical,” said Ellis, whose organization is not assisting Bales because he committed his alleged crimes outside of combat.

Ellis said she’s heard of families losing their homes or moving in with other family members due to the strain the legal costs put on their finances.

The Bales were already under financial stress before the tragic events of March 11. News accounts show Karilyn Bales had related her financial struggles on her blog over the past year, the couple had tried to sell their house in Lake Tapps for 20 percent less than they paid for it and lost another residence they owned in Auburn.

Gene Fidell, who represented Yee and now teaches military justice at Yale Law School, said the cost to defend Bales would be “way into the six figures and maybe beyond that.”

Bales’ defense team would be required to conduct its own investigation into the massacre in order to provide the sergeant with effective counsel, Fidell said Monday.

“That’s got to happen here. It’s a capital case,” he said.

That might include a trip to Afghanistan to view the crime scenes and interview witnesses if such a trip could be arranged with the U.S. and Afghan militaries, Fidell said.

Brett Purtzer, a Tacoma criminal defense attorney, said the cost of defending Bales likely would reach into hundreds of thousands of dollars “given the location and the number of potential persons to interview and the necessity to have interpreters available.”

“Given that it sounds like a mental health defense, the experts alone could be $50,000 to $100,000, given the nature of this case and the publicity it has obtained,” said Purtzer, immediate past president of the Tacoma-Pierce County Bar Association.

Soldiers accused of crimes are provided a military lawyer at no cost, said Maj. Chris Ophardt, a spokesman at Lewis-McChord, but they have the option to hire a civilian attorney.

Bales has hired John Henry Browne, a well-known and media-savvy defense lawyer who has represented many high-profile clients. Bales is expected to use a military defender, too.

Yee said his military lawyer immediately recommended he hire a civilian lawyer because they have fewer limitations, including use of the media as part of their defense strategy. Yee said his legal bills were more than $260,000, and the financial assistance he received was invaluable.

“It’s devastating,” the former Olympia resident said of the prospect of footing that bill alone. “I certainly didn’t have it. My family didn’t have it. I would be paying back legal fees today without that mechanism and the generosity of the community.”

Contributions can be sent to The Staff Sergeant Robert Bales Legal Defense Fund, PO Box 2774, Seattle, WA 98111. Contributions are not tax-deductible.


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27 Mar 2012

Local Loaves & Fishes Family Kitchen Charity Receives Support

SAN JOSE, CA, Mar 27, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –
To kick off its 10th anniversary celebration, Silicon Valley-based
firm Labhart Miles Consulting Group, Inc. selected San Jose-based
non-profit Loaves Fishes Family Kitchen to receive $1,000 as part
of the $10,000 Charity Initiative, which will run through December
2012. A new charity will be selected to receive Labhart Miles’ gift
each month.

“What a wonderful gift and a great idea for celebrating a company’s
anniversary,” said Christina Egan, Executive Director of Loaves
Fishes. “A big thank you to Labhart Miles for thinking of Loaves
Fishes Family Kitchen.”

“We are excited to celebrate Labhart Miles’ 10 year anniversary by
giving back to our community and to organizations charities that
we, our clients and business partners, can personally relate to,”
said Monika Miles, President of Labhart Miles.

Labhart Miles will select charities in a variety of fields, from soup
kitchens and food banks to children’s organizations and cancer
societies. In addition to non-profits that are near and dear to the
principals’ hearts, they’re looking for causes that provide valuable
services to the greater community.

“We want to thank our many clients for allowing us to serve their
state tax needs and feel that making a donation to a deserving
charity every month for 10 months is a worthwhile substitute for the
typical party. This way, we get to celebrate for the rest of the
year,” explained Monika.

About Loaves Fishes Family Kitchen
Loaves Fishes Family Kitchen
is committed to providing no cost, hot nutritious meals and support
services in a dignified, safe and caring environment. They provide
services to all needy individuals. Find out more at

www.loavesfishes.org .

About Labhart Miles Consulting Group, Inc.
Labhart Miles Consulting
Group, Inc. is a professional services firm in San Jose, California
specializing in multi-state tax solutions. The firm addresses state
and local tax issues for their clients, including general state tax
consulting, nexus reviews, credits and incentives maximization,
income tax and sales/use tax planning, and other special projects.
They also specialize in maximizing the California enterprise zone
program tax credits for clients. Find out more at

www.labhartmiles.com .


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SOURCE: Labhart Miles


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27 Mar 2012

Mental health workers: The overlooked victims of 9/11

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Public release date: 27-Mar-2012

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Contact: Janina Reichert
janina.reichert@springer.com
49-622-148-78414
Springer

Study uncovers secondary traumatic stress experienced by mental health clinicians

We’ve all heard about the stress experienced by victims of 9/11, but have we ever paused to think about the effect of those terrorist attacks on mental health clinicians who provided care to the victims? A new study by Mary Pulido, Ph.D., from the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children in the US, provides a sobering account of what it was like for these professionals and reports on the lack of support they received. Her exploratory study, published in Springer’s Clinical Social Work Journal, highlights the critical need to develop training and expand support systems for clinicians in order to combat secondary traumatic stress.

People may suffer symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder through secondary exposure to the trauma histories of others. Disaster mental health workers may be at particularly high risk of this co-called secondary traumatic stress. Not only are they exposed to the stressors and psychic pains experienced by their clients, they carry the professional burden of being expected to remain open and available to their clients on an emotional level. In the case of 9/11, these clinicians were also exposed to the same disaster as those they were helping.

To gain a better understanding of the effects of indirect exposure to terrorism, Pulido conducted in-depth, one-on-one interviews with 26 mental health clinicians (a combination of therapists, social workers, and psychologists) who had carried out 9/11-related therapeutic work with clients. She asked them about the extent of their work with clients impacted by 9/11; how working with these clients and their issues had affected them; and what types of supports were available to them through their job for handling 9/11-related stress.

The clinicians’ experiences differed based on the type of client: some dealt directly with family members who had lost loved ones, others dealt with people who fled the burning towers, and some worked with individuals considered indirectly exposed, but who were still fearful and symptomatic. Thirty months after the attacks, secondary traumatic stress levels were high among clinicians who provided care to victims of 9/11. The clinicians being interviewed were themselves surprised at the intensity of these stress levels. In addition, they described availability of supervision and agency support as ‘weak’, but said peer support was helpful.

Dr. Pulido concludes: “For many professionals, these interviews, conducted several years after the attacks, served as the first time they had discussed their 9/11 work and the stresses they encountered. This factor alone speaks volumes for the lack of support that they received while providing such intense clinical support for their clients. These findings need to be integrated into training and practice.”

Reference

Pulido ML (2012). The ripple effect: lessons learned about secondary traumatic stress among clinicians responding to the September 11th terrorist attacks. Clinical Social Work Journal. DOI 10.1007/s10615-012-0384-3

The full-text article is available to journalists on request.

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27 Mar 2012

State, feds reach accord on mental-health plans

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Oregon’s push to overhaul health care, led by Gov. John Kitzhaber and Oregon Health Authority Director Bruce Goldberg, “provides a unique opportunity for the state and the Civil Rights Division to work together to address our concerns by embedding reform in the design of the health care system,” the federal letter says.

Under the agreement, specific reforms in the community mental health system will occur in stages during coming years, with desired outcomes spelled out in provider contracts, regulations and other documents, the letter says.

“Initially, the state has agreed to collect statewide system data on the services currently being provided and the people being served,” it says. “Working with the United States and our experts, this data will be transformed into outcome measures that will be included in plan documents, contracts and regulatory materials. We contemplate working cooperatively with the state for the next several years. In this unique context, we are optimistic that the iterative process to which we have agreed will improve the lives of thousands of Oregonians living with mental illness.”

In a March 23 response to the federal officials, Oregon lawyer John Dunbar, head of the Special Litigation Unit of the state Justice Department, expressed optimism about moving forward, along with some concerns.

“We agree that we have made tremendous progress,” he wrote. “We are appreciative of USDOJ’s outcome-driven approach, and we are glad to see you share our desire to avoid costly, wasteful litigation if possible.”

However, the state attorney also noted that he had “some substantive concerns” about the federal letter. For example, he said the document “appears to overstate the state’s commitments,” and he took issue with some of the reform metrics, or measurements, outlined by the feds.

“We should be able to straighten these issues out, but I wanted to make sure we were all on the same page so that misunderstandings don’t develop,” Dunbar wrote.

On Monday, two leaders of Oregon mental-health advocacy groups said they were encouraged by the accord on mental-health reforms.


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27 Mar 2012

Straw wants watchdog to investigate Conservative donation row


27 March 2012
Last updated at 07:51 ET


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Secretly filmed footage of Peter Cruddas offering access to the prime minister and chancellor (Courtesy the Sunday Times)

Jack Straw has urged the Electoral Commission to investigate whether laws on political donations have been broken after the “cash for access” row.

The Labour MP said there was a case for the watchdog to examine whether the former Tory treasurer Peter Cruddas, who resigned over the row, and adviser Sarah Southern had breached the rules.

Only UK-registered firms and people on the electoral roll can lawfully donate.

The Conservatives say they have “strict regulations” for accepting money.

Mr Cruddas was secretly filmed by reporters from the Sunday Times saying that a donation of £200,000 or £250,000 gave “premier league” access to party leaders, including private dinners with Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne.

Due diligence

The reporters were posing as representatives of a fake financial firm based in Liechtenstein. Under UK law, such a company would not have been able to make a donation to any British political party.

The Sunday Times said Mr Cruddas had suggested the firm opened a British subsidiary or used UK employees as a conduit in order to comply with UK funding rules.


Jack Straw

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Consultant Ms Southern, the former Conservative Party staffer who introduced the undercover reporters to Mr Cruddas, was recorded by the newspaper as saying: “As long as the money is coming from a legal UK-registered donor, or a legal registered UK company that is operating, then they will normally be happy.

“They [the Conservatives] will do some due diligence but they don’t pry as to where that money comes from at all really. It is impossible to. How can you know where someone’s money has come from if it is kind of within a sensible parameter?”

Vetting donations

In his letter to the Electoral Commission, Mr Straw said the Sunday Times reporters “were allegedly told that money from foreign investors could be channelled through a company established by the reporters as they were on the UK electoral roll”.

“These reports raise serious questions as to how the Conservative Party is soliciting donations, potentially in contravention of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.”

The former justice secretary had earlier told the BBC that the laws covering donations were “very clear”.

“New laws I introduced in 2009 make sure you cannot use front organisations to disguise the original source of the donation,” he told Radio 4′s Today programme.

“On the basis of what Ms Southern says, I think there is a prima facie case for the Electoral Commission to investigate whether there has been a breach of the rules, potentially a breach of the criminal law, by Ms Southern and Mr Cruddas.”

The watchdog was also entitled to look at whether the Conservatives had “safe procedures” for vetting donations, he added.

“I have to say that Sarah Southern suggests or implies, in her conversation with the undercover Sunday Times reporters, that they operated the regulations with a light tough, a veneer of compliance, but other things were going under the surface.”

The Electoral Commission has yet to say whether it will consider the complaint.

In a statement, it said: “The law states that companies can donate to political parties if they are: registered at Companies House; incorporated in a member state of the EU; and are carrying on business in the UK.

“Before accepting a donation, political parties must check that they know who the donor is and that they are allowed to donate.”

‘Clear process’

The Conservative Party has insisted no money was accepted as a result of the meeting, and that it vets donations thoroughly.

Mr Cameron has said Mr Cruddas’s remarks were “wrong and unacceptable” and has asked Lord Gold, a Conservative peer and lawyer, to review party procedures following the row.

Downing Street has rejected suggestions the Conservatives do not make sufficient checks to ensure donations are legitimate.

A No 10 spokesman said on Tuesday all donations “have to comply with strict regulations” and the party have a “very clear process” to ensure any money is within the rules, including a special team to make sure foreign donations did not get through the system.


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27 Mar 2012

Kyle Petty Charity Ride Announces Route for 18th Anniversary Motorcycle Event

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 27, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
The Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America announced today the course for its April 28 – May 4 cross-country motorcycle trek. More than 175 riders will join the 18th anniversary ride beginning in Napa, Calif., and travel over 2,500 miles before finishing at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas. Founded by former NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Kyle Petty, the Charity Ride raises funds and awareness for Victory Junction, a camp created to benefit children with chronic or life threatening illnesses.

“We started this ride as a small group of friends just riding from track to track,” said Kyle Petty, who currently serves as a NASCAR television analyst for SPEED, Showtime and TNT. “It’s amazing to see how this event has grown – seven days of beautiful riding with more than 175 riders helping to send hundreds of kids to Victory Junction.”

In 2012, for the first time riders will pass among the sprawling redwood forests of California and travel both “The Loneliest Road in America” (U.S. Highway 50) and “The Million Dollar Highway” (U.S. Route 550). In addition to 25 planned fuel stops, the 2012 Charity Ride route will make overnight visits in Redding, Calif.; Reno, Nev.; Richfield, Utah; Grand Junction, Colo.; Albuquerque, N.M.; and Lubbock, Texas.

Two-time Daytona 500 winner (2009, 2012) Matt Kenseth, former NFL great and Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker, Texas Motor Speedway President and General Manager Eddie Gossage, NASCAR legend Harry Gant and former NBA star and NASCAR team owner Brad Daugherty also plan to participate for all (or part) of this year’s ride.

“The Kyle Petty Charity Ride makes a real difference in children’s lives,” said Walker, who’s participating in his seventh event in 2012. “It’s not only the kids we visit with along the route, it’s the donations that help sponsor thousands of trips to Victory Junction that make this ride so special.”

Past notable riders include Robin Pemberton, Vice President of Competition, NASCAR; 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Tony Stewart; NASCAR drivers Michael Waltrip, Geoff Bodine, Steve Park, and Kenny Schrader; supermodel Niki Taylor; PGA golfer Davis Love III; Orange County Chopper co-founder Paul Teutul, Sr., among others. Since 1995, more than 7,000 riders have logged 10.1 million cumulative miles alongside Petty and donated more than $14.5 million to primary beneficiary Victory Junction and other charities that support chronically ill children.

A year-round camp, Victory Junction was founded by the Petty family to enrich the lives of children with chronic or life-threatening illnesses by creating experiences that are memorable, empowering, and physically safe and medically sound. The Randleman, N.C., camp was founded by the Pettys to honor their late son Adam; since opening its doors in 2004, Victory Junction has been the Charity Ride’s primary beneficiary.

In the last eight years, more than 7,350 children with health issues that would typically prevent them from attending camp have attended Victory Junction at no charge thanks to the Kyle Petty Charity Ride. Construction of a second facility is currently under way in Kansas City, Kan.

Fans and spectators along the Charity Ride route can contribute through the “Small Change. Big Impact.” program, which accepts donations at the Ride’s pit stop locations. The public can also make a $10 donation by texting RIDE to 27722. Reply to the confirmation text with the word YES to confirm the donation, and $10 will appear on the user’s wireless bill or will be deducted from a prepaid balance. Online donations are also accepted here.

The 2012 Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America is made possible by sponsors Coca-Cola, Pilot Flying J, Racing Electronics, WinCraft Racing and FLUIDYNE Racing Products, Freightliner, Krispy Kreme and FGX International.

To follow Petty and the riders live, fans should visit Facebook or follow Kyle and the ride on Twitter: @kylepetty and @kpcharityride. For detailed information on Ride pit stops, or for more information on Victory Junction and the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America, visit kylepettycharityride.com.


        2012  Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America Schedule
        Day 1 Saturday, April 28 Napa, Calif., to Redding, Calif.
        Day 2 Sunday, April 29   Redding, Calif., to Reno, Nev.
        Day 3 Monday, April 30   Reno, Nev., to Richfield, Utah
        Day 4 Tuesday, May 1     Richfield, Utah, to Grand Junction, Colo.
        Day 5 Wednesday, May 2   Grand Junction, Colo., to Albuquerque, N.M.
        Day 6 Thursday, May 3    Albuquerque, N.M., to Lubbock, Texas
        Day 7 Friday, May 4      Lubbock, Texas, to Fort Worth, Texas

About The Kyle Petty Charity Ride

Led by NASCAR driver and racing analyst Kyle Petty, the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America raises awareness of and funds for Victory Junction and other charities supporting chronically ill children. The Charity Ride is one of the most successful and popular charity events in the country. Now in its 18th year, the Charity Ride has donated more than $14.5 million to Victory Junction and other children’s charities, with 7,000 participants logging more than 10.1 million cumulative motorcycle miles. For more information about the Charity Ride, please visit
www.kylepettycharityride.com .

About Victory Junction

Victory Junction is a year-round camping environment for children ages six to 16 with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses. Founded by the Petty family in honor of their son Adam, the camp is located in Randleman, N.C., with a second location opening soon in Kansas City, Kan. Victory Junction offers programs for a range of disease groups and maintains strong relationships with more than 30 partner hospitals. Victory Junction’s mission is to provide life-changing camping experiences that are exciting, fun and empowering, in a safe and medically sound environment. As a not-for-profit organization, the camp operates solely through the support of generous individuals, groups and corporations to provide this experience at no charge to children and their families. For more information or to donate, visit
www.victoryjunction.org .

SOURCE Kyle Petty Charity Ride

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

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27 Mar 2012

Merger with out-of-county agency creates funding questions

WOODSTOCK – For Family Service and Community Mental Health Center, the choice was simple – merge or die.

With a deadbeat state government owing the behavioral health agency at least $850,000, it announced last month that it would merge with North Central Behavioral Health System, which covers a seven-county area. The alternative, CEO Lori Nelson said, was to shut down and leave 6,000 clients without help.

“The alternative, as I’ve said so many times, was not an option, which was to close our doors,” Nelson said.

But the result – county property tax money reimbursing a health agency based in LaSalle – has some county officials and mental health providers uneasy.

The McHenry County Mental Health Board, in two 5-0 votes, agreed Monday evening to pay reimbursements as of May 1 to North Central – Family Service will become Family Service Division of North Central Behavioral Health System. That would mean about $1.45 million of Family Service’s $2.49 million contract for the 2012 fiscal year. The mental health board was created by referendum in the 1960s to disburse money through a special property tax levy to county mental health agencies.

McHenry County Board member Donna Kurtz, a former member of the Family Service board, told the mental health board that she is concerned that county property tax money would not stay in McHenry County and sends a bad message to other needy agencies that rely on mental health board funding. She was the only speaker to offer public comment.

“My understanding now … is that it isn’t a partnership, it’s really a takeover, and as a longtime McHenry County resident, my concern is that as a takeover, we’re taking valuable taxpayer dollars and diverting it to another county,” Kurtz, R-Crystal Lake, said.

The funding also has been an ongoing concern of Pioneer Center for Human Services, the county’s largest social service agency. The McHenry-based agency, which serves the disabled, mentally ill, homeless, troubled youth, and victims of sexual abuse, serves more than 2,500 clients. Pioneer CEO Patrick Maynard said his group and others should have been consulted as to whether it could assume Family Service’s duties.


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27 Mar 2012

Mental Health officials, community leaders debate facility

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) – Neighbors living near a care facility that treats convicted sex offenders after they have served their time say the building is too close to a youth recreation center.

Four years ago, the privately-owned Columbia Regional Care Center on Farrow Road became home to 44 violent sexual predators.

On Monday night, many residents living in nearby neighborhoods just found that out.

The Department of Mental Health says the building was its last option. The Broad River Correctional Facility ran out of room and they had to be put somewhere else.

“We felt confident going forward,” DMH’s Mark Brinkley said. “Now, in hindsight, should we have called a community meeting to let them know that six or seven individuals were going over there? It might have solved some problems it might have created others, I don’t know.”

Brinkley says they’re waiting for the green light from the Budget and Control Board to renovate part of Broad River to make room for 90 residents.

“We’ve been talking to DOC since 2000 about possibly looking at growth space — space to grow the program because we knew from the get go it was going to keep growing,” Brinkley said

However, at the current growth rate, DMH projects it will outgrow Broad River again in just a couple years.

Many neighbors in the area are looking for DMH to come up with a better plan to guarantee the safety of the people of Columbia. It was a sentiment shared by many community leaders such as Juliette Greenlee.

“Before I leave for my grandchildren, I would like to have them gone. And if it takes noise or if it takes us marching — I’ve done that too — let’s organize and get it done,” Greenlee said.

But DMH tried to assure the audience the facility is secure and there hasn’t been one escapee or problem.

“Most are over 50 year old and have a lot of medical issues. They’re not teenagers, they’re not going to be scaling barbed wire fences or running through the woods. That aside, I’m not discounting people’s fear and again, we have the same goal they have which is to get them back to corrections,” Brinkley said.

It costs more than $100,000 per resident per year to house them at the facility. DMH projects a savings of $30,000 per resident per year if they move to a state-run correctional facility.

Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.


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27 Mar 2012

Andrews’ donations draw questions

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Andrews’ campaign in 2008 also donated $6,500 to the Prince Music Theater and $5,000 to the Rock School of Dance, both in Philadelphia. It gave $391 that year to Pitman’s Broadway Theatre. Josie Andrews has appeared at the Prince and the Broadway, and has trained at the Rock School, according to CREW.

Tagmire said Josie Andrews’ “few activities at any of these arts organizations are completely separate and apart from these legal and proper contributions.”

Andrews’ campaign also spent about $7,300 on purchases from the theaters, including food expenses and gifts for donors, CREW said. The report said Andrews’ campaign paid $119 for a meal at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, Ocean County, on July 9, 2009.

Josie Andrews performed at the park that day, the report said.

CREW also tracked earmarks to Rutgers-Camden’s law school for fiscal years 2008-10. Andrews’ wife, Camille, is associate dean of enrollment and projects at the school.

Three federal earmarks, which ranged in size from $428,000 to $613,000, covered costs for scholarships and public-interest programming, among other purposes. Tagmire said a congressional ethics body had decided that the earmark was appropriate because Camille Andrews “had no financial interest” in the programs being funded.

CREW said Andrews’ campaign committee also donated $8,700 to the law school for scholarships, a public law program, awards and a reception.

Tagmire said Andrews has funded scholarships “at every high school in his district.” The congressman’s campaign in May 2011 provided “1st District” scholarships to 40 area high schools, with each receiving $300, federal records show.

Family trip

CREW noted its study did not cover campaign spending in 2011, when Andrews used political donations for a family trip to Scotland and four trips to Los Angeles that coincided with recording sessions for his daughter. Federal records show Andrews’ campaign donated $12,500 to the Walnut Street Theatre’s annual gala that February.

CREW in December filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission over the Scotland trip and other transactions. Andrews has reimbursed his campaign for more than $13,000 in costs related to the Scotland trip, saying he wanted “to focus on the issues affecting our constituents.”

CREW also filed a complaint against Andrews in 2009 after he used about $950 in campaign funds to replace clothing that had been lost by an airline. The FEC said the purchase was improper but it took no action, noting Andrews had repaid the money.

Andrews, who represents a heavily Democratic district, had more than $265,000 in his campaign fund at the end of 2011, federal records show.


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